CUPERTINO – Hollister National made a strong statement that it
will be a team to be reckoned with at the Division 2 9-10 year-old
All-Star Tournament in Cupertino. In its best game thus far,
Hollister National shutout River Park (Fresno) 3-0 Saturday at
Wilson Park.
National encounters a good Alameda team tonight at 5:30 p.m.
Alameda defeated the biggest team in the tournament size-wise
– San Mateo American – 5-3 on Saturday.
CUPERTINO – Hollister National made a strong statement that it will be a team to be reckoned with at the Division 2 9-10 year-old All-Star Tournament in Cupertino. In its best game thus far, Hollister National shutout River Park (Fresno) 3-0 Saturday at Wilson Park.
National encounters a good Alameda team tonight at 5:30 p.m. Alameda defeated the biggest team in the tournament size-wise – San Mateo American – 5-3 on Saturday.
If Hollister National continues to play the defense like it played vs. River Park, it should be in good stead no matter which team it squares up against. National made zero errors and a number of individuals came through with the glove or the arm in pressure situations.
In the top of the first inning, shortstop Daniel Arevalo made two gems. River Park’s Chris Mariscal led off with a single to center. Arevalo fielded a tough grounder and forced Mariscal at second with a good throw to Oscar Ramirez. Nikky Gonzales’ ground ball threatened to get through into center field, but Arevalo went quickly to his left, gathered in the ball, stepped on second and threw quickly to first base for the double play.
The first batter in the top of the second – Brandon Renwick – hit a grounder to Arevalo which looked routine at first, but took a bad hop at the last second. Arevalo caught the ball at his chest and pegged out Renwick. After Jimmy Funk singled, Arevalo went way to his right to stop a possible basehit, then made the long, accurate throw to Ramirez for the force at second once more. With two on in the same inning, Jahziel Gonzalez quickly charged in on a beautiful bunt by James Bitter and tossed out the speedy Bitter at first base.
National had a golden opportunity to put runs up in the bottom of the second when it loaded the bases with no outs. Adrian Casarez singled to left on an 0-2 pitch, then Gonzalez and Alex Costa drew bases on balls off Mariscal. Michael Martinez flied to short center as Casarez tagged up. Casarez came down the line a little as Bitter’s throw went home and sailed over the catcher Funk’s head. Casarez hesitated trying to score, then decided to give it a go. His hesitation cost him when Funk threw to Mariscal covering the plate. Mariscal tagged out the sliding Casarez, then he fanned the next batter to get out of the mess unscathed.
National finally broke through for a run in the third, but could have had two. Ricky Garcia lined a shot off Mariscal’s leg for his second hit of the game. After Garcia was wild pitched to second, Ramirez walked. Arevalo lined out to right field as Garcia tagged up and made it to third. As is usually done in first-and-third situations, Ramirez took off for second. Funk let loose with a late attempt to get Ramirez. However, no one was covering second and the ball went into center field, allowing Garcia to score easily.
Ramirez rounded second and headed to third. Normally, Ramirez wouldn’t have had any problem getting there. However, Bitter isn’t any normal center fielder. He hosed down Ramirez with a picture-perfect throw to third. It was one of the best throws one could imagine from a 10 year-old.
Ramirez would have easily scored on Cooper Sepulveda’s towering double to center, which immediately followed. Sepulveda was left stranded when Mariscal notched anoter strikeout.
National, which left five runners on base in the first four innings, put two big insurance runs up on the board in the fifth. Garcia singled through the box for his sixth hit in his last seven plate appearances. Ramirez flared a single to right, which prompted a pitching change as Ryan Clark relieved Mariscal. Arevalo tomahawked a shoulder-high pitch for a crunching double to the base of the center field fence to drive in Garcia. Ramirez took a wide enough turn at third to draw a throw. Ramirez made it back safely, but Arevalo was eight yards off second and a dead duck. River Park nailed Arevalo at second, but the sequence allowed the savvy Ramirez to score.
All the while, Gonzalez was pitching a career-best game. He gave up just six hits and walked just two batters in going the distance. His two walks came in the fifth inning, which alerted Hollister National manager Jerry Sepulveda. Sepulveda had Rolo Robles warm up in the bullpen, but a gut feeling by Sepulveda kept Gonzalez in the game. Gonzalez gave up a single to Renwick at the start of the sixth, but got two fly ball outs to Costa in right and a final fly ball out to Robles in center.
“I knew Jahz was tired because his off-speed stuff was bouncing in the dirt,” said Jerry Sepulveda. “But, he just dug down deep and got the job done. That’s the kind of pitcher he is.”
Gonzalez had a good friend in Garcia, who had a stellar game defensively behind the plate. Garcia simply blocked everything. There wasn’t one wild pitch or passed ball registered on the River Park side of the scorebook.
“Jahz wasn’t throwing as hard as he normally does and I was surprised,” said Garcia. “The ball kept bouncing right up into my glove.”
Funk blocked a lot off balls, which impressed Sepulveda.
“That team is a strong team defensively up the middle,” Sepulveda said. “And they’re a disciplined team at the plate, even more so than Almaden.”
Mauricio Mariscal, manager of River Park, tipped his cap to Gonzalez and the Hollister National defense.
“Their pitcher threw strikes,” said Mauricio. “We didn’t hit like we normally do. And their second baseman (Ramirez) and shortstop (Arevalo) are great little ballplayers. They stopped everything.”
Arevalo is scheduled to pitch tonight’s game.
RP 000 000 – 0 6 1
Hol Nat 001 02X – 3 8 0
Mariscal, Clark (5) and Funk; Gonzalez and Garcia. WP-Gonzalez. LP-Mariscal. 2B – Arevalo, Sepulveda (HN). 3 hits – Garcia (HN).
